The Night's Ambition
by CharizardWTigerz
Summary: With Mortiman still wanting Tessa now more than ever before Jem and Will are pushed to their limits of protection... but when Will sudden Hostility to everyone takes a turn for the worse... will he lose tessa's heart to his paraboati?
1. Chapter 1

"Damnit, Jem I thought you said you didn't play cards!" Will spat, handing over another six pounds.

"Who told you that?" Jem laughed, his smooth voice carring along the air of the sanctuary. Jem's thin fingers danced along the table awaiting Will's next move.

"Ah…" Will sighed. "I give. You win, you little Hustler you."

"Don't worry william, it's going to a good cause."

"What cause?"

"The cause that doesn't involve you drinking your life away."

"Bah!"

"What's with all the noise?" Tessa remarked walking from behind the shelves. Instantaneously, Will stood up and abruptly left that side of the room, leaving his cards on the table.

"But William, you could've beaten me that round!" Jem called after him, but Will was too far away.

"Have a seat, Tessa. You'll have to excuse Will… We don't know what's come over him lately." The brown haired girl took a seat across from him. She looked up at him and immediately her mind flashed to the night before.

"_Tessa! Where in the Angel's name are you?"He cried out in the blackness of the Institute. He lit the witchlight and hugged the side of the wall prowling the seemingly endless corridors before tripping over a large _something_in the way. "What the-.." he shined the witchlight onto what he tripped over and he saw a pair of eyes, as turbulent gray as the London sky. "Tessa?" He took the girl into his arms and gently shook her, "Ms. Gray are you-.." A heavy object collided with the back of Jem's head and he fell forward onto Tessa's lap. A thin stream of blood ran from his head, staining his silver hair scarlet. Tessa caught her breath and the witchlight douse, enveloping her in darkness once again. _

"_, my love where are you?" Mortimain's deep voice rang through the stale death stained air of the building. "You might as well reveal your location, I've taken out all your precious Nephillim, and Your brother is hot on your trail." She could hear the distant sound of grinding metal._

Tessa_ the sound seemed to call. _Ms. Theresa Gray_… _

Tessa shook the memory from her head.

"Is that a no?"

"Huh? Dearest Apologies, Jem I wasn't paying you any attention."

"Thinking about last night?" She solemnly nodded. "Don't worry. Charlotte and Henry are on their way now to scope the damage… Until then everyone will be safe in here."

Jessamine's deafning scream drowned the room.

"What, Jess?"

"It's Will…"


	2. Chapter 2

Jem and Tessa stood up and a high pitched ear splitting shriek filled the air. It was unhuman… Searing through their ears. The sound got higher, and the large windows in the back of the room began to crack. Jem took a step closer to where Jessamine was and the sound got even louder. The cracks in the windows grew, breaking until cracks aligned the glass like webs of a spider. Then the glass shattered, sending pieces flying like a murder of Angry transparent crows. A single hand touched the base of the window, hoisting himself up until he came into view. His once blond hair was now caked with dirt and new blood, whipping around his face as the wind blew ceaselessly outside. His eyes, feral and untamed, ravaged the room of shadowhunters, eagerly searching for one… A single girl, not Nephillium. A single being, so vastly different from the beauty and uncharted strength and speed of the others. One… warlock eyes befell her and He smiled; a crooked, horrifying grin. Tessa froze. The one she had once found comfort in, the gaze she had so longed to feel for years, wasn't what she hoped it would be. It no longer belonged to her loving brother Nate.. but to someone with a face, and a voice just like his. To _something_ that had taken his form and his breath.

"_Tessie…_" He said, taking a step toward her. "Tessie, help me." His smile faded, and he staggered. "Tessie please… I need you… help me…"

"Tessa, Don't." Jem warned, stepping in front of her. She took a step toward the blond haired boy.

"Tessie…don't listen to him… it's his fault we're in this… He's allied with Mortiman…He put me up to this… Him.. and the black haired one.."

"Will?" Tessa breathed.

"They're going to try and Kill us Tessie… Help get me out of this…"

Will groggily dragged himself over the shards of broken glass. "Must… Get… To…. Tessa…" He whined, clawing at the carpet, tearing the skin on his fingers, embedding glass under his nails. The purple bruise on his neck was growing, and he knew that if it din't heal soon he would drain, of all energy, all will power. He pushed himself into a pushup position, and struggled to keep himself up. Fumbling with the seraph blade at his waist he drew it and whispered "Raziel" before throwing himself into the air and plunging down onto Nate; the balde burying into his chest. But no blood drew. Instead he hit metal cogs and pieces, The bruise throbbed and took more energy from his body.

"Jem…" He whispered, straining his last breath before passing into a dark oblivion.

Will awoke to a deathly silence. He was wrapped in black sheets, marked with various healing runes, currently glowing a dull blue. He groaned, flipping over and seeing Tessa, gazing out his window.

"You.." He growled, his body tensing up.

"Oh.. I didn't know you were awake, Will.."

"This is all YOUR FAULT!"

"What?"

Will laughed, causing pain to shoot up through hus stomach.

"You stupid Warlock girl." He hissed. "You can't keep out of anything can you? Is it so much to ask that you leave me alone?"

"Will.. I-.."

"Go! Get, you imprudent Downworlder!" Tessa Fled the room, tears stinging her eyes. After her departure Will's heart ached. _My heart.._ He thought _save my heart and shield it… Cecily.. It was yours first… Take it now before I regret this._

Tessa ran head on into Jem, knocking him over.

"Tessa? Tessa what's wrong?" She bolted up and ran through the himself off, he stood and proceded to follow her, right into her room. "Tessa." He whispered, holding her against his chest, allowing her tears to spill onto his shirt. He spoke to her in a sensitive, compassionate voice, singing a calming song his mother used to sing to him in voice, masculine and strong yet kindhearted and sympathetic soothed her, as he resonated the foreign her tears ceased, and he sat down with her, not letting go. "What happened?"

"Will.." She whispered, and recounted to him the whole situation, not missing a single detail. With every word his muscles would tighten, at the mention of what his best friend.. his paraboati would put Tess through. After all.. he did claim during that game of cards, to have feelings for her… Jem's thoughts vanished as he realized Tessa was staring at him. His gaze met hers… silver on grey boring into each other; searching for an explanation. Any explanation, a reason to still have faith in love. They neared each other, unaware of the world around them, and their lips met with a sensation of fraying nerves. A wave of electric passion washed over them, engulfing them in a newfound feeling, a newfound taste and a new memory. Their kiss had the potential to harvest a new universe. One where only they exisited, where love pushed through all boundries, and Jem was cured. Where She could see the real him, the innocent young man within him, the one untainted with addiction. In that universe she saw Jem, with hazelnut brown hair that framed his cream coloured face, and eyes as green as the Amazonian Undergrowth. His face, no longer weighed with knowledge of his unavoidable death, but free spirited, bursting with life and desire. He pulled back, slowly, trying to savour every last moment of Tessa's sweet mouth against his. Then as their kiss ended, he looked at her. Her expression was placid, the look in her eyes pure bliss.


	3. Chapter 3

a.N./ sorry itz soo short… highschoolz ruff… so idea shrtage…

"I… I'm so sorry Ms. Gray.. I uh…" Jem, studdered looking for the correct words to excuse his behavior.

But Tessa was no longer paying the slightest bit of attention to Jem or his rambling. Her eyes were fixed on the figure at the door. Shaggy black hair that fell toward his shoulders and dark eyes that couldn't fathom any type of light. His mouth that was once a thin line was now agape…

"Will.." She whispered. Trying to unfocus his anger.

"Shut up, warlock." He snapped.

"William, tell me you didn't.,,"

"Yeah I saw you suck face with that degenerate, sleazy, repugnant,downworlder." Everyone of Will's words cut Tessa deeper than the last.

"Will!"

"What? She… I mean _It_ is and now your infected with it's disease."

Tessa stood, not wanting to hear another word and ran from the room. She pushed herself farther into the parts of the institute she had never been in before and slumped against the wall. Hot, fresh tears fell down her face, streaking her cheeks bone white. She curled into a ball, letting her brown hair fall and shield her face from the harshness of the outside world.

"Will what in the Angel's name is wrong with you?" Jem roared. "With me? You're the one making out with Tessa!"

"Oh, Now she has a name? All you've called her so far is Warlock, with some angry term in front of it! How do you suppose that's gonna win her heart?"

"Maybe I don't want to win her heart! Maybe I just want her to get out of my life and for things to return the way the were before."

"Before Like how? With you waking up screaming in the middle of the night for Cecily? Walking around the institute searching for her and then realizing that she's not coming back? Ever since Tessa's arrival I haven't heard your desolate cries in the night. It's silent.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: READ THE OTHER A/N AT THE BOTTOM!**

Will's mouth shut. "I did?" He whispered, his voice quivering.

"Yes, every night-..." A loud screech pierced the air. Jem shot up and grabbed his cane, one word echoing through his head as he ran through the hallway..._Tessa_.

He grabbed her, kicking and screaming and dragged her into the closet, before gagging her and locking the door behind him. He took a blade to her throat, the edge so close that when she gulped she could feel the iciness of the dagger against her exposed gullet. Mortmain smiled his evil devilish smile, the faint light bouncing off the dagger giving his lips an eerie glow, making his teeth appear satirical and ferocious. The curtains closed, leaving just a sliver of light, and the clamor of metallic cogs grinding could be heard in the far corner of the room.

"Tessa... Tessa...Tessa... where are your beloved Nephillium now? Will they be here to witness as my clockwork creatures play a dangerous game with you as the board? I hope so... William and James ought to be able to watch the fun... As I take part in it." Tessa tried to scream against the cloth in her mouth, but it only seemed to make Mortmain smile more. He pushed her onto the bed behind them and gathered his clockwork creatures.

"Seize them." He commanded. The creatures burst through the door clamping tightly onto Will and Jem, binding them with electronic ropes, and heaved them into the room, locking the door behind them. The creatures tied them to the chairs on the far side of the room, and Nathaniel, who was standing in the corner, lit a single candle, allowing them to see what was going on. Jem's head began to spin... Seeing the way Mortmain was hovering above Tessa could only mean one thing...

**A/N: HAIIIII! =] if you r reading ths story than yhu are amazing... WHich meanz yhu can help me.. When you review... give me an idea for what Mortmain should do to tessa... it'd really help me out.. I have an idea but idk how it'd work so... im asking the ppl whoz opinionz matter =] thnkz**

** -Chari**


	5. AN

A/N

There are two Endings to the story, one for Jem lovers, One for Will Lovers they both take place after chapter 4 don't get confused.


	6. EndingJEM LOVERZ r8d moderately M

"TESSA!" Will cried out. Mortiman turned around, his ears roaring like an aggravated lion. His heart pulsed, racing, struggling, failing to keep up with his rising anger. Pushed to it's limits his heartbeat thundered, causing his breath to labor and become tiresome. As if his heart was exposed to an intensely bright red light, it stopped. Mortiman's body heaved forward, dropping the knife, and his mouth opening, his final words heavy on his lead tongue, never to be heard. Like a labored breath into the winter air of London, a bluish grey condensation resemblance left his mouth, spiraled from deep within him, shooting into Will's open mouth, forcing itself down his throat. The black haired boy sputtered, choking as the spirit (as Jem pinpointed mentally)settled in the cavity below his ribs, occupying over Will's own. His eyes shifted, causing his iris to glow a deep amethyst, as a grin, a crooked, warped, Mortmain worthy grin crept onto his face.

"You fools!" Will roared at the clockwork beings, only his voice was not his own. His vocal chords now thickened with the age and tone of Mortmain's, now belonged to Mortmain's soul. The creatures snapped to attention. "Untie me! Now!" Jem could feel the aura shift in what was his best friend, now inhabited by a monster. The creatures feverishly worked at the bonds keeping hold of Will, in complete silence except for the metallic harmony of clashing cogs and the long whines of machinery pushed to its limits. Finally, he was released and he called the creatures back to their corner and stood over Tessa, knocking over Mortiman's body in the process.

"Tessa…" He whispered, his voice back to the compassionate William she knew. He removed the cloth from her mouth, tenderly stroking her hair, pushing it from her face, revealing her now comforted yet still turbulent grey eyes.

"Will…" She responded, searching his eyes feverishly for any hint of anger or hostility, but all she could see for miles was blue… blue like the icy caverns of the tundras she had visited so often through little black text printed on pale paper, with the enchanting smell of a foreign spice. He brushed his lips against her collarbone, sending chills up her spine. Before kissing her, soft on the mouth, his taste, divine, yet bittersweet, like baking chocolate. He pulled away, before she could get enough of it.

"I'm… I'm gonna get you out of this…" He whispered, stroking the sides of her pale heartshaped face. Hope began to burn through her eyes. "But first… I have something to tell you… and If I don't say it now.. my courage will falter, and I might never get it back.."

"Do say it, Will.. Hurry."

"I love you, Theresa Gray." His words struck Tessa like a wrecking ball to an old beer factory. "I love you more than I should…"

"I… I love you too, Will." His face faltered, both ends of his mouth began to curl up, and he smiled…. Followed by a little chuckle. Which turned into a full blown laugh, so hard he almost fell over. "What's so funny, Will?"

"I can't believe you fell for that…" He said, his voice cracking from the word believe, and his voice deepened, into Mortiman's. "Do you really think anyone…." He got off her. "Fool… Ready, Her." Will commanded, and the creatures crowded around Tessa, each tying a limb to each of the bed posts. Thin metallic fingerlike probes tore at the green fabric that was her dress, Ripping it from her body, along with every single piece of fabric it was associated with. Tessa screamed, but one of the creatures shoved the cloth back in her mouth, securing it with duct tape. Something frigid and adamantine began relentlessly tugging on her chest, She squirmed, trying to move from the sensation, but all it did was intensify it. Then suddenly it stopped and moved to the other side, repeating its actions. Her eyes flung open, and all she could see was Jem, his eyes closed, not wanting to witness what he knew was about to happen.

"Jem!" She screeched so loud each syllable could be heard through the cloth and duct tape combined. His eyes ripped open and he saw them… there were twelve of them, twelve metallic creatures, some with torn shards of human skin on them from one of the battles, some with dried blood encrusted into the spiderlike wires that were scarcely covered by a mallable finger piece, designed to be soft yet hard like the skin on a finger. Through his silver eyes, he could see Tessa's pain as the creatures shoved their metal fingers into her. He saw her writhe and squirm and cry out when Will shoved himself down her throat. He willed his eyes to close, but they disobeyed, and somewhere, In the back of his mind, he remembered.

"_Little Chinese boy.." Yanulo called, and the green eyed boy awoke. Standing in front of him was a creature, at least seven feet tall, with skin like western dust, and matted shaggy hair, caked with blood at its wrists and ankles. Its eyes, piercing and yellow were merciless, and cold. The creature knelt, forcing its face into the little boy's field of view. Its curling horns, a tainted ivory, yellowing toward the tips, its rancid breath heavy with the stench of rotting human little boy quivered, and heard his mother's dying screeches ringing through his head telling him to run, to get away…. Pain seared through the boy's veins, burning like a match tossed into a river of kerosene. He screamed, and the demon smiled, opening his worn and tattered batlike wings from his back. The boy knew what was coming next, everyday after the burning dulled, there was a pleasure the demon gave to him, after the blindfold was put on. A rush of cold across his bare skin, then a distinct pleasure and a warm wetness a bit later. Yanulo would say it was hot ambrosia, and for the longest time the boy would believe him. It wasn't until years later… he found out what it really was…._

He shook, erasing the tainted memories from his head, in just enough time to see Will's powerful thrusts. He saw Tessa's tear stained face, and his mind flickered back to his own, over and over again, forcing the adrenaline through his veins. He tore through the metallic braces like they were no more than dental floss and grabbed his cane, ripping Will from out of her. Everything was a blur afterwards, a whirl of flying creatures and Tessa's interminable bleeding. When the adrenaline was gone, will was unconscious on the ground the clockwork creatures scattered in pieces on the ground, and Nathaniel gone like he had never been there in the first place.

"Tessa", he whispered, and she opened her eyes. He gently pulled the tape and cloth from her mouth, his spidery fingers moving dillegently and softly.

"Jem…"

"Are you okay?"

"No.." She whined.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You have to finish what Will started….You can't just leave me like this."

"Tessa….I.."

"Please Jem… It's the only way to make the pain go away…"

Will regained consciousness among what seemed to be a graveyard of clocks. There were cogs and springs and wires everywhere, some live, some dead. He sat up and instantly his head started throbbing worse than a hangover at a rock concert. He cursed and ran his bloodstained fingers through his hair, streaking it crimson. Taking to his feet, he walked through the doors, towards the staircase to the attic, rubbing his head. Walking past Tessa's room he heard hushed moans, and the squeaks of the spring mattress. He peeked through the crack of the bedroom door, and saw a glimmer of silver, the moonlight from the window, shining right on the shifting blankets. He chuckled to himself, and kept walking up to the attic. "Enjoy her now, Jem…before Daylight's wishes." He smiled his crooked, surreptitious smirk, and shut his room door behind him.


	7. Ending WILL LOVERZ

Will shut his eyes tightly, trying to silence the blaring voices in his head. He didn't want to see this… He didn't want to be haunted by the memory of watching Tessa, watching her be compromised. He could hear her muffled screams, her tears as they slid down her cheeks. He could feel the deep rumble through the floors. Anger swelled up within him, but he could do nothing… His heart sank, but he would not let his eyes open. Against the cloth, he could hear her scream each syllable of his name… will…i…am… help… me…. She seemed to say.

"_WILLIAM!" She cried as they snatched her from beside him, helplessly he called out to her._

"_Ces…. CES!" He jolted upright and ran after her, inches… centimeters away from her outstretched hand. Their fingers touched… briefly the tips brushed against each other… Before they pulled him from her. Wrapping their arms around him, yanking him from her. "CES! I'm coming for you…." He yelled, his words lingering in the sweat dense air._

"_WILL! HELP ME!" She screamed, her shriek scarring the air like a nail to his face. Everything seemed to slow down, The men as they rounded the corner with her in their arms. He, himself struggling against the ones holding him captive, keeping him from the only girl who he truly loved… The only one who made his everyday worth waking up for. A tear slid down his cheek, and his heart ached with every beat. Never before… had he cried. Not when he was alone, not when he was in pain, never. _

He shook his head fighting the memory, attempting to rid himself of it all. He remembered running his finger sthrough her golden hair, kissing away her tears, whisking her into his arms and smiling at bliss of being in love… Something inside him stirred..

His eyes ripped open, but were black and pupiless, merciless and cold like the black abyss. His teeth sharpened to a daggered point, and his nails grew out and sharpened as well. His arms and legs began to swell with strength, his muscles expanding, tearing his shirt to shreds, barely covering his claw raked, perfectly chiseled chest. He pushed his arms from his body, ripping through the electric ropes binding him, and snarled, venom spiraling off his fangs. His back burned bright red and he let out a long, painstruck cry that sliced through the air, and he bent forward. The skin begain to tear, and blood dripped down his back, staining his pale skin, a dark scarlet. Two long black curved rods grew from the gashes, and opened up. A leathery skin covered the rods as they extended, and feathers, stygian long feathers began to sprout in rows from the skin on the rods. He howled again, and his wings opened up and shut, sending a gust of wind so enormous it sent the creatures through the glass window. Legions, of metal creatures marched in, and launched themselves onto him. Mortmain turned around in enough time to see Will slice through the last clockwork monster , as it clattered to the ground in a heap, into the ocean of clockwork cogs and pieces, live wired and dead wires… an electronic oblivion. Will turned and faced Mortiman, striking fear right into his heart.

"Get… Off of her… NOW" He said, his voice, far from his own. It was a mixture of about seven other voices some high, some low, but all majestic and angry.

"n…No." Mortiman defied.

"You brought this on yourself." Will retorted, and he leapt at Moriman, Unfurling his true wingspan, ripped him out of Tessa, and pierced his claws through Mortiman's flesh as he soared through the window.

"Tessa.." Will started. Running his fingers thru her hair.

"I had the most terrifying delusion, will."

"How so, my love?"

"You had wings, William, Long black wings and you tore through the air….."

"Like a demon?"

"Yes!"

"Go back to sleep Tessa. Mortiman must've screwed with your brain."

"Mr. Herondale I-.." He shut her bedroom door and leaned against it, blowing his breath upward, causing his hair to briefly flutter and then land on his face.

"You don't know the half of it…"


End file.
